Illegal Bay Ridge hostel finally shuttered

An illegal Bay Ridge hostel has finally closed after five failed city inspections and countless complaints from neighbors, according to the Daily News. Following complaints in May that the two-story house at 352 94th Street was being used as a temporary crash pad for young travelers, DOB officials conducted five raids, the most recent of which turned up 40 beds, including some in the basement that violate city zoning regulations. Building owner Mousa Khalil was fined $6,000 in June for using the residential space as a commercial office, but the managers of the hostel continued to take guests even after the crackdown and were stopped only after the news leaked into the press. A hearing is scheduled for Khalil next month on two violations at the hostel. [NYDN]